Combination folding plumb-rule, straight-edge, and level.



A. G. BERKEBILE.

COMBINATION FOLDING PLUMB RULE, STRAIGHT EDGE, AND LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, I912.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

COLUMBXA PLANOGRAI'H CO..\VASHINGTON. n. c

. plurality of parts which are either hingedly ADAM e. BER-KEBILE, or sonnns'nr, PEN YLVANIA;

COMBINATION FGLDING PLUMB-RULE, STRAIGHT-EDGE, AND LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Manam *7, 1915-.

Application filed April 15, 1912., Serial NO. 690,808,

To all/whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM G. BERKEBILE, citizen of the 1 United States, residing at Somerset, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Com bination Folding Plumb-Rules, Straight.

Edges, and Levels, of which the following is a specification- My. invention; relates to improvements in combined plumb rules, straight edges and levels, and the object of my invention is to provide atool of the above described char-,

acter which is capable of being readily folded up or dismembered so that it may be packed into compact form fortransportation.

A further object of my invention is to provide'a combination tool of the above type which may be employed with its central ortion raised above the work, if desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for quickly and readily adjustingthe position of the bubble tubes of the level. And a still further object of my invention is to improve the construction and at the sametime increase the efficiency, of tools of the above described character.

"With these and other objects in view, my invention will'be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of my improved tool, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached toand form a part of this application.

In the drawings F igure 1 is an eleva tion of the tool; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4t is a perspective showing the bubble tube adjustment; Fig. 5 is a section onthe line 55 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters. My improved tool, as best shown inFig. 1 of the drawings, consists primarily of a or detachably secured to each other end to end, and which when so connected form a substantially rectangular shaped body member. For the sake of convenience, I have illustrated a tool, the body of which is made up of a central member 10 and end members 11 and 12. Each of these members is preferably made of metal and each consists of a substantially rectangular shaped frame 13, stiffened and reinforced by'a web '14, portions of which are thickened for a reason that will be hereinafter apparent, while other portions are apertured to lighten the tool. These members l0, l1 and 12 maybe either hinged together end to, end or detachably connected by mortise and tenon joints and I have, therefore, illustrated both forms of construction, the member 11 being hingedly connected to one end of the central member 10, while the member12, is detachably'secured to the'other end of the central member by mortise tenon joints, as shown.

The members lOand 11 are hinged to gether by means of a pintle bolt 15, which is passed through alining: bores formed in the intermeshing cars 16 and 17 of. the members 10 and 11, one end of this. pintle bolt being reduced and screw-threaded to.

engage. in a threaded socket; formed in the outermost of the ears 16, while the opposite endis notched for engagement by. a screwdriver, by means, of which the bolt may be secured in place. This hinge joint is, so

formed that when the members, 10 and 11' are secured?togethencthe member llwhen extended may be swung in only one direc.,

tion, and as a meansfor, normally looking said member'against such swinging, l, have provided a lock comprising a plate of metal 19 pivoted at one end, as at 20, tobear against the web of the central, member 10 and below the surface. of the frame113,

thereof, the free end of this plate being.

notched. as shown at 21, to pass between the member--11 and the head of an adjustable screw 22 which is threaded into a tapped bore formed in theadjacent end of themember 11. As will be readily seen, when the plate is'swung into active position and clamped by thescrew, all independent movement of the members 10 and 11 is prevented. The other end of the central member 10 is mortised, as shownat 23, to receive a tenon 24: formed upon one end of the body member 12, the members when so joined being detachably held against disengagement by set-screws 25 which are threaded in the tapped bores formed in the upper and lower faces of'the member 10 and the free ends ofwhich are beveled, as shown at 26, to bear against the inclined faces of conical-shaped sockets 271 formed in the tenon, the sockets and set-screws'being so positioned with respect to each other that the tightening of the latter will draw the abutting ends of the members 10 and 12 into close engagement with each other.

It will, of course, be understood that either form of joint may be employed exclusively, or both forms may be used in the construction of each tool, the hinge joint probably being the most convenient, while the mortise and tenon joint is stronger and more durable.

Often in plumbing the corners of'buildings, partitions, walls, and the like, it is advantageous to elevate the level or rule in such a manner that it may be employed without bringing its central portion into direct contact with the surface of the work being plumbed or leveled. As a means for accomp'lishing this, I have provided thickened web portions 29 at the lower corners of the end members 11 and 12, and these thickened portions are provided with tapped bores 30 which extend at right angles to the lower faces of the body members and in which may be threaded thumb-screws 31 upon which the tool may be supported in elevated position above the work, when desired. When these thumb-screws are not being so employed they may be screwed into suitable tapped bores formed in the web of one of the body members, as shown by dotted lines at 31.

The central member 10 of the tool is provided with a pair of spaced apart, transversely extending, thickened web portions 32 and 33 which are recessed, as shown at 3A and 35, respectively, to receive the ends of a bubble tube' casing 36 carrying a bubble tube 37. As shown, one end of this casing is pivoted between the side walls of the recess 34 by a pivot pin 38 passing transversely through the walls of the recess and the end of the casing,while the other end of the casing is provided with a head member 39, the upper and lower faces of which are oppositely beveled, as shown at 40. In order to provide means for raising and lowering the free end of this bubble tube casing to properly adjust the bubble and for securing the casing in place when so adjusted, I have provided a pair of set-screws 41 which are passed through tapped bores formed in the web member 33 and which have conicalshaped ends 42 which bear against the upper and lower beveled faces 40 of the casing head.

As'will be readily seen the movable end of the bubble tube casing may be raised by loosening the upper set-screw and tightening the lower set-screw or may be lowered by reversing the operation.

The bubble tubecasing above described extends longitudinally of the tool and is employed for leveling horizontal work, and

as a means for adapting my tool for use,

upon vertical work I have provided the end bubble tube casing is formed with a laterally enlarged head 15 with two of its opposite edges converging away from the pivot as shown, and seated in a recess 47 in the web 43. By this arrangement the bubble tube casing is removable from the body together with the face plate by simply releasing the latter. The head 45 is adjustably maintained in position by set-screws a9 threaded into tapped bores formed in the web member 13 engaging the converging faces of the head by the conical inner ends.-

As the general'operation of my improved tool differs in no way from that of the other tools of the same type, a description of its manner of employment is unnecessary.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a combination plumb rule, straight edge, and level possessing many advantages overtools of like character now in use, chief among which is the fact that it may be readily folded up or dismembered when not in use, thus permitting transportation of, the tool in compact form.

Another advantage consists in the simplicity of the adjustment of the bubble tube casings and the consequent ease with which,

such adjustments may be made.

Another advantage consists in the ease and facility with which the bubble tube casing may be detached for renewal or repairs, and whereby the bubble tube casing is held in place adjustably without the necessity of employing cement or other similar holding means.

It will, of course, be understood that, while 'I have described the tool as formed of metal, it may be formed of wood if desired, and may of course be made up of as many members as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A tool of the class described comprising a frame apertured between its ends, laterally enlarged webs provided on the frame at the ends of an aperture therein, a bubble tube pivotally mounted at one end within one of the webs and provided at its opposite end with an enlarged head, the opposite side walls of which are fiat and reversely inclined, and adjusting screws mounted in the by said bubble tube may be positively adj usted upon its pivot in either direction and positively held in adjusted position.

2. A tool of the class described co1npris' ing a frame apertured between its ends, laterally enlarged webs provided on the frame atthe ends of an aperture therein, one of said webs having an opening therethrough, a face plate secured in said opening and filling the same and having its outer surface flush with the outer surface of the frame and its inner surface provided with a recess constituting a seat, a bubble tube pivoted at one end within the seat of the face plate and provided at its opposite end with an enlarged head having two flat reversely inclined walls, and adjusting screws mounted in the web adjacent said head and externally engaging the flat reversely inclined walls at diametrically opposite points whereby the bubble tube may be positively adjusted upon its pivot in either direction and positively held in adjusted position.

3. A tool of the class described comprising a frame having an opening therethrough from side to side, and a recess in the wall of the opening and spaced inwardly from one longitudinal edge of the frame, there being spaced threaded bores communicating with the recess and a second opening formed in the other longitudinal edge of the frame, a face plate secured in said second opening and provided with a seat, a

bubble tube having one end pivotally mounted in the seat and its other end provided with an enlarged head centered within the recess, said enlarged head being provided with flat reversely inclined walls, and adjusting screws threaded within the bores and having conical bearing ends engaging the flat reversely inclined walls of the head of the bubble tube whereby said bubble tube may be positively adjusted upon its pivot in either direction and positively held in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADAM G. BERKEBILE. [1,. s.] Witnesses:

L. G. CoLBoRN, NELLE KIFER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 13.0. I 

